Interview
Spreading Sustainability Awareness Internally and Externally with LIMEX
- 会社名Hulic Co., Ltd.
- 業種Real Estate
- 用途Printed Materials
- URLHulic's Sustainability
- 【The Challenge】
- To effectively showcase their commitment to the environment to the public and stakeholders.
- To spark greater interest and awareness in sustainability among their own employees.
- 【The Solution】
- LIMEX Business Cards
- LIMEX Integrated Reports (booklets)
- LIMEX Shareholder Reports (booklets)
- 【The Impact】
- The reports have become powerful tools for communicating their environmental commitment during discussions with shareholders and partners.
- Adopting LIMEX business cards has successfully sparked employees’ interest in sustainability and served as an internal conversation starter.
Hulic Co., Ltd. is a comprehensive real estate developer whose core business spans a wide range of properties, including office buildings, retail facilities, and hotels. With sustainability-driven management as a cornerstone of its corporate strategy, the company is actively advancing initiatives to help bring about a decarbonized and circular society. In 2022, as part of its commitment to reducing its environmental footprint, Hulic adopted LIMEX products*. By integrating eco-friendly practices into everyday tools like business cards and integrated reports, the company effectively communicates its sustainability efforts to external stakeholders while fostering a deeper sense of environmental awareness internally.
LIMEX Products: Products made with LIMEX, a material primarily composed of calcium carbonate and other inorganic substances (over 50% by weight).
This time, we spoke with Mr. Naruse, Executive Officer, General Manager of the Sustainability Department, and General Manager of the Corporate Communications & IR Department at Hulic Co., Ltd., about the background of their decision to implement LIMEX products and the effects they have seen since the introduction.
The Sustainability Department Leads the Long-Term Environmental Vision for 2050
Please tell us about the background and mission behind the establishment of the Sustainability Department.
Mr. Naruse: Our company has set forth a long-term environmental vision for 2050 to realize a “decarbonized society” and a “circular society.” As we proceeded with initiatives to achieve this vision, we faced challenges in our company-wide promotion system and collaboration between departments. Therefore, we established the Sustainability Department as a cross-departmental organization.
One of the important missions of the Sustainability Department is to instill sustainability in our employees as part of their daily work. For employees in the real estate business, sustainability can sometimes feel like a distant concept. We are working every day with the hope that they will see it as something relevant to themselves.
Long-Term Environmental Vision Roadmap（https://www.hulic.co.jp/）
About Mr. Naruse
After a career in the financial industry, Mr. Naruse joined Hulic Co., Ltd. in November 2019. He was appointed Manager of the Sustainability Office in the Corporate Planning Department in April 2020, and later became General Manager of the Sustainability Department in July 2022. Since April 2023, he has served as Executive Officer and General Manager of both the Sustainability Department and the Corporate Communications & IR Department.
Discovering LIMEX While Pursuing a Circular Society
What first led you to consider adopting LIMEX?
Mr. Naruse: My first encounter with LIMEX was through a member of our internal CVC* team. They introduced it to me, saying, “There’s a company that makes a material called LIMEX, which is an alternative to plastic and paper. I think it’s a great eco-friendly material. Would the Sustainability Department be interested in looking into it?”
* CVC (Corporate Venture Capital): An investment arm within a corporation that uses the company’s own funds to invest in and support emerging, typically unlisted, venture companies.
Even at that time, sustainability was a key pillar of our management strategy, but we faced the challenge that it wasn’t a familiar concept for our employees. This was especially true for our initiatives aimed at creating a circular society, where there was a lack of “everyday, practical actions” people could take. We were constantly searching for a more tangible and understandable way to advance our efforts.
It was then that we learned about LIMEX. We were drawn to its potential to significantly reduce the use of water and forest resources by using limestone as its main raw material. Moreover, the ability to replace everyday items we were already using was very appealing. This led us to start considering its use for our internal materials, such as business cards and integrated reports.
Overcoming Implementation Hurdles Through Trial and Error
What challenges or concerns did you face from the initial consideration to the final implementation?
Mr. Naruse: For the integrated report, we were able to resolve the issues by working closely with both TBM and our printing partner to conduct detailed verification tests. Furthermore, for our 2024 integrated report, TBM proposed a new, thinner grade of LIMEX Sheet with high opacity. It was nearly half the thickness of what we had been using, which significantly improved the overall bulk of the booklet. In fact, the final product was so slim that people asked if we had drastically cut the number of pages. It’s been very well-received both internally and externally.
How were you able to resolve any challenges or concerns?
Mr. Naruse: For the integrated report, we were able to resolve the issues by working closely with both TBM and our printing partner to conduct detailed verification tests. Furthermore, for our 2024 integrated report, TBM proposed a new, thinner grade of LIMEX Sheet with high opacity. It was nearly half the thickness of what we had been using, which significantly improved the overall bulk of the booklet. In fact, the final product was so slim that people asked if we had drastically cut the number of pages. It’s been very well-received both internally and externally.
As for our general concerns, when LIMEX was introduced to us back in 2022, TBM showed us actual samples and shared that many other well-known companies had already adopted it*. Seeing that these reputable companies were using it on an ongoing basis gave us the confidence we needed to move forward. The meticulous support we received from your team also played a huge role in dispelling our anxieties about introducing a new material.
* Adopted by over 10,000 companies and local governments (including registered business locations).
Were there any other key points you focused on before making the final decision?
Mr. Naruse: As this was a new initiative for us, we approached the internal proposal process with care. For the business cards in particular, we focused on clearly communicating how we could reduce our environmental impact while keeping the cost increase within a reasonable range. Your team’s support in preparing the proposal materials was instrumental, and it allowed us to gain internal consensus smoothly.
LIMEX as a Catalyst for Communication
What changes have you seen since introducing LIMEX products?
Mr. Naruse: Business cards are tools we use every day, handed directly from our employees to people outside the company. When exchanging cards, simply saying, “This actually isn’t paper,” naturally opens up a conversation about our sustainability efforts and creates an opportunity to discuss our company’s initiatives. Feeling sustainability in an object they touch every day has also helped raise our employees’ own awareness.
Our integrated reports and shareholder communications are incredibly important—you could call them the “face” of our company. We’ve noticed a growing number of environmentally conscious shareholders; for instance, when we send out shareholder-related documents, we now receive questions like, “Is this recyclable?” By adopting LIMEX for these materials, we can demonstrate our commitment to the environment in a tangible and clear way to a wide range of stakeholders, including shareholders, investors, and business partners.
Driving Sustainability Forward
Finally, could you share your expectations for LIMEX and your plans for future initiatives?
Mr. Naruse: I believe LIMEX is an outstanding tool that allows us to promote sustainability in a visible way. Adopting it has diversified our efforts, contributing to areas like water and forest conservation. Looking ahead, we are excited about the potential for new product variations. We also want to pursue concrete resource circulation, such as collecting used integrated reports and business cards to be reprocessed into new products.
Conclusion
By switching everyday tools like business cards and integrated reports to LIMEX, Hulic Co., Ltd. is not only enhancing the sustainability awareness of each employee but also leveraging these items to foster dialogue with partners and shareholders. TBM will continue to support companies, organizations, and local governments in their initiatives to realize a circular society.
FAQ
I want a price list.
Please fill out the inquiry form and let us know the product you are looking for.
How long will it take to deliver?
Clear files and business cards can be delivered within the same delivery time as regular products. For more information, please contact us using our inquiry form.
I’d like to know how to dispose of LIMEX after use.
[For Businesses]
When disposing of LIMEX as business waste, please treat it as industrial waste. LIMEX products are flammable. Please dispose of them in accordance with your local municipality’s rules.
[For Consumers]
LIMEX products are flammable. When disposing of them, please follow your local municipality’s rules.
*Do not mix LIMEX products with recycled paper. For more information, please see here.
I’d like to receive a LIMEX sample.
Please contact us using this inquiry form.
I’m looking to be involved in the sales and development of LIMEX products.
TBM is always looking for partners to sell and develop LIMEX products. Please contact us using this inquiry form.
